Recommended Reading
A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas by himself
One from earlier American History, it is short and I think required reading
for this period of US history.
Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman
This is an excellent book on the first part of WWI. She has a beatutiful writing
style that is very engrossing.
Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves
An autobiography on WWI. It takes you into the trenches and then shows the
effects they had. It is a gripping personal account.
The Pacific War 1931-1945 by Saburo Ienaga
An excellent book written by a Japanese author detailing what led to Japan's
invasion of Manchuria and actions throughout WWII. He explains the root of
events in the Pacific theatre. This is a very interesting book and in my opinion
an absolute must.
Japan at War an Oral History by Haruko Taya Cook &
Theodore F. Cook
This book contains oral interviews conducted with Japanese soldiers and civilians
from WWII. It is very interesting and the stories are often brutally honest.
I think it is an excellent source to begin to understand the Japanese psychce
during the war.
Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning
This book is pretty grisly. It is the only one I wondered wether it was appropriate
to put on this list. It traces how ordinary men become Nazi killers in the
first part of the Holocaust. It is graphic, but essential to our understanding
of Nazi Germany.
Weapons for Victory by Robert J. Maddox
If you are interested in the decision to drop the atomic bomb this book is
a must. I have read numerous books on this subject, and I really think this
one is the best. The author is interesting, comprehensive, and fair.
Case Closed by Gerald Posner
A must if you are interested in Kennedy's assassination. It is very comprehensive
(it deals with most major conspiracy theories.) You might not agree with all
of it, but it is incredibly informative.
